The Google Play ASL Season 21 quarterfinal match between Lee Jae-ho and Lee Jae-dong, held at the FreecUp Studio in Daechi-dong, Seoul, on the 4th, ended in a 3-2 victory for Lee Jae-ho. Lee Jae-ho took the first two sets to reach match point at 2-0, but Lee Jae-dong’s late-game resilience brought the score to a 2-2 tie. In the final set, however, Lee Jae-ho used a Valkyrie followed by a decisive Terran bio push to destroy Lee Jae-dong’s key expansion and secure the win.

Q. How do you feel about reaching the semifinals after defeating Lee Jae-dong 3-2?

My preparation went so well that I was actually worried. But because it was a hard-fought victory, it feels even more valuable.

Q. You’ve been critical of some performances in the quarterfinals. Are you satisfied with your own performance today?

If I set aside the fact that it was an offline match, I’d give myself about a 70. I made too many mistakes and was very nervous. Still, considering it was an offline environment, I want to give myself a high score. I was quite critical while watching Yoon Su-cheol’s match, and I prepared really hard because I was afraid I might end up the same way.

Q. You had great momentum early on today, didn't you?

The first set went exactly as planned, and in the second, I felt like my opponent was going to try something. It wasn't what I expected, which caught me off guard, but I think I handled it well. At 2-0, I felt certain I would win. But even though I thought I played well in the third set, my opponent’s defense was just too good. Losing the fourth set put me in a crisis, and my mental state was shaken. Still, I had prepared a timing rush for the fifth set, and it worked out well.

Q. Your semifinal opponent will be either Jang Yoon-cheol or Lee Young-ho. You mentioned you hoped to face Lee Young-ho, right?

Facing Lee Young-ho was the catalyst that allowed me to perform well in offline matches. He’s back this season, and I’m curious to see how a match against him would go now.

Q. You’ve been playing StarCraft for a very long time.

Watching Lim Yo-hwan in the past made me think about what it’s like to be a pro gamer in your 30s. I want to keep playing as long as I can. Also, as a viewer of the ASL myself, I have a strong desire to put on a good performance for the fans.

Q. Are there any areas you need to improve?

I was very nervous today. I always feel nervous until I actually lose a match in a tournament. I want to improve on that.

Q. Any final words?

I want to thank the players who supported me both online and offline. I will do my best to win the championship.